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Re: Isn't it time for a Barone Saxophone section....

Buck and MMM. I understand your comments, now. To me it seems obvious that Phil interjects himself regularly with off-topic promotional comments and normally no other merchant does that. They don't do it because of their personal preference for keeping business and forum chatter separated; perceived conflicts of interest and all that. This is one reason I think it might be nice to have a Barone section. But regarding the allegations of special favour, quid-pro-quid, or other similar comments (with which I disagree BTW), I'll let John address that since your questions were brought about by his posts.

____________________________________________________ You can't blow it if you haven't lived it.

"Even if I could play like Wynton Marsalis, I wouldn't play like Wynton Marsalis."
- - Chet Baker

Re: Isn't it time for a Barone Saxophone section....

Originally Posted by DixieSax

Is that speaking from personal experience? I seem to remember when I joined that you were/are a very strong advocate of CB saxes.

Where I am coming from is simply that, for example if there happened to be a thread in which the OP asks, "Which saxophone should I buy the Mauriat or the Yamaha?", and the owner of the Cannonball company were to jump in and write several posts telling the OP why he should buy a Cannonball instead. I believe that not necessarily the mods of the forum, but the membership would be all over that individual. Maybe I'm wrong, but that is my gut feeling based upon my experience of reading several threads where Phil Barone has done exactly that, not only with saxophones but with mouthpieces as well.

I have an inherent sense of fairness that tells me that SOTW should strive to provide and unbiased and level playing field in the marketplace of musical products. I have felt that this forum has been exploited as the personal market place of one individual for a long time giving that individual an unfair advantage over other vendors.

I offer Curt Alterac as a shining example of professionalism on this forum. He supports to SOTW monitarily with his paid ads at the top of the page, and he also contributes to the forum regularly, not promoting his products but answering questions and giving helpful repair suggestions. Occasionally he will announce a new product or tool in the appropriate are of the forum, but that is a brief one time only post to make people aware of the item. He doesn't continue to pitch it on and on.

I appreciate the mods allowing an open and civil discussion on this particular topic, which I personally feel has needed to be aired for a long time.

Re: Isn't it time for a Barone Saxophone section....

You are pushing the envelope of "open and civil" discussion - again, John.

Phil contributes here - not just to promote his products, but to help people select appropriate mouthpieces, develop tone and technique, and to educate. When he does go over The Line, he gets called on it. Pummeled for it, in fact.

If you got as much crap as he does, I am confident that you would whine to the mods about being treated unfairly and complain that everyone is out to get you.

If you really want to discuss this issue, please don't litter it with innuendo and accusations. I'd like to see it aired and discussed too - just so you and others living in glass houses can bring it to a conclusion and be done with it.

Please do encourage Cannonball to maintain a presence on the site. A FACTUAL exchange is welcome. Randall, for instance, is a great contributor and the welcome mat remains out for him. He is especially good at defining fact vs opinion and that should be a model of behavior.

Re: Isn't it time for a Barone Saxophone section....

Originally Posted by MartinMusicMan

The charge is made that one person "openly and aggressively" promotes his products on SOTW, and that he is being given special treatment because if anybody else did the same thing, there would be a strong reaction. Any moderators care to comment?

Re: Isn't it time for a Barone Saxophone section....

So, from the baroneprosaxophones.com website, it appears that Phil and Mike Couch are severing ties. The horns have been renamed from PB Classic to MAC Classic. Anyone know the deal? Also, it doesn't appear that baris will be offered any longer.

Admin Note

Okay, this is getting way-off topic
...and this is the 2nd thread I close in less than 5 minutes, 2nd Admin note I post, deleted about 6 posts, not to mention the 6 or so PMs I receive and which I haven't had the time to read